The crime drama has endured more than its share of upheaval during Season 12, all in the wake of bidding adieu to original cast member Shemar Moore last spring. CSI: Miami vet Adam Rodriguez was added to the ensemble during the off-season, while Paget Brewster was tapped for a short-term encore that blossomed into a full-time return after original cast member Thomas Gibson was cut from the cast as the result of an on-set altercation with a writer/producer.

Through it all, Criminal Minds‘ numbers waned since the season opener, averaging 7.5 million weekly viewers and a 1.4 demo rating — down 17 and 22 percent from its Season 11 average and matching its all-time demo low (1.2) as recently as March 29. (Its subsequent episode ticked up to a 1.3.) As such, it was one of a handful of long-running series originally missing from CBS’ annual renewal-palooza, in which 18 total shows walked away with pickups.

Criminal Minds returns Wednesday, April 26 with the final three episodes of the season.

Criminal Minds is awful now. Not a fan of Damon Gupton he doesn’t fill Thomas Gibson’s shoes!!! I’ve given the show more than a chance.
Whatever the problem behind the scenes, fix it. Get Thomas back. 2 sides to every story so it’s not just Gibson who was wrong.
Ugh, I miss the show it used to be. So disappointed with them losing Gibson!!

The show’s in the toilet now! This Reid stuff is too funny – I mean, that’s the best they could come up with?! CM survived … but look at all the damage! Ratings in the dumpster, viewers down … huge drop! Worth it, right? Everyone hates the show, but they don’t care – they just want the money. It will never be the same, even with a desperation move to bring back Shemar for one show. Beyond Borders … good riddance, bye bye. Too bad, CM couldn’t join you. Next year probably, fingers crossed!

finally the show is still amazing and plus with Shemar Moore returning for the finale this is incredible now CBS all you got to do is renew Code Black and 2 Broke Girls so the fans can finally breathe.

Now please let me know when Reid is out of prison so I can start watching again. Haven’t watched when I realized Reid in prison was going to be a multi-episode arc. Putting a cast member in jeopardy may be a way of drawing in viewers but the drama isn’t always there. And it isn’t in this case.

I’m glad it’s renewed. But the Reid story line has it swimming awfully close to shark-infested waters. It is just ludicrous to have to suspend belief that the BAU, one of the most, if not the most prestigious unit of the FBI, a Justice Dept. agency, did not know that he was supposed to be in protective custody from the get-go; and then when they attempted to get him into p.c. they were rebuffed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons which is also an agency of the Justice Dept. Believe me that’s not how things really work in the world of Washington political power.

I have watched this show from the very first episode and I’m so happy that it has been renewed. The changes this year have been difficult to watch (Reid in prison), but I still like the show even without Hotch and Morgan. I miss the characters, but they are doing a good job of keeping the creepy going.

That’s because it is TERRIBLE! The sets look like sets and not foreign countries. And it feels like an infomercial for whatever foreign land they go to that ep with bad production. Lol. I wanted to love this show. I love Alana de la Garza but gosh it’s awful!! Just end it’s misery please!!

I haven’t watched any episodes this year and have little interest in catching up. The show’s been going downhill for years and the reviews leave a lot to be desired. Eh, there’s always reruns and dvds of earlier seasons if I get the itch.

I’m interested in it. Obviously, I do want him out soon, sure, and yes, there’s been aspects of the storyline that are frustrating/confusing/etc (and indeed, unrealistic, too, but that part doesn’t really bother me, ’cause this is far from the first unrealistic storyline this show’s had and I don’t watch this show for its realism anyway, so…)., but I’m still curious to see how it pans out.

Good. I like this show. Would be great if Shemar Moore came back. They’ve dragged the Reed issue far to long. This story line would be reason to leave but I have hung in there. It was okay for a few episodes but ENOUGH IS ENOUGH..Like Adam Rodriguez but Damon Gupton doesn’t add much. So glad Paget Brewster is back..love her too. I aslo agree bring Code Black back and Beyond borders is back so hope they renew again.

I am so glad this is being renewed! These older series that some people like to complain about are the ones that viewers really cherish the most because we feel like these are longtime friends. Who wants to lose friends? I agree, though, with the complaints about the Reid storyline this year, I hate it, and absolutely don’t want to see him put in the setting he has been in. What I fear even more, though, is that this is a way to have the character leave the show, the producers had lost 2 of our favorites and probably wanted to have a storyline that would explain why yet another character was leaving. I hope and pray that I am wrong, but this show is really missing having Reid along for their cases.

Happy it’s back, but miss Dr Reid. That storyline is way past done for me. If he gets killed in prison the show is finished. Get him back solving complex crimes where he belongs, and maybe a girlfriend to so he can finally get a little action. Don’t want his first to be in prison.

This makes me SO happy! After all the shake ups this past season I was worried they would cancel CM. Now, I’m hoping and waiting for Code Black to be renewed as well as Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. If these get renewed and I have my NCIS shows, I’m good to go!

Love, love, love CM. Hate Reid story line. Aisha Tyler needs more of a back story. She needs more interaction with Garcia. It’s not HER, it’s the writers!! Emily comes off too stiff as well. She is not Hotch,who is sorely missed. I hope Shemar is great in SWAT, even though Morgan is missed

Regarding Aisha Tyler, for me it’s not the writers, it’s her. I stopped watching Talk Soup because of her, by the time she was on Friends I was hate watching it but her episodes are my most hated, and I don’t like her on this either. I can’t really put my finger on it, but if she’s on the TV I want to turn it off.

I still miss Hotch and it just seems weird with him not being on the show, don’t care much for the new folks like Adam tho as far as Shemar can take him or leave him but for me Hotch was the backbone of the group.

I watch Criminal Minds all the time. The new shows and the reruns. I think I know the dialogue to some of the original shows. This show has tons of fans. It is a hit like Mash and has a number of spin offs. Not all spin offs are as good but Penelope is always fantastic with her magic computer fingers. All the regulars that have come an gone have done a great job making interested in their characters life on the TV screen.

If Thomas Gibson doesn’t come back l will never watch the show again. Same goes for 30 members of my family and friends. Everybody deserves a second chance. The show has gone off the deep end.Please bring back all the cast members that started with the show and made it great as it was.l love Reid, please have him kick butt next time.

I don’t miss Thomas. Hotch was just too serious and boring for my taste. I just never saw the appeal of his character. I do however miss Shemar, but I still enjoy watching the show every week. I too wasn’t crazy about Reid being in prison and I’m glad he is now free. That being said, the story line behind it was still interesting for me. I’m super excited that the show has been renewed and I hope the current cast members remain a part of the show for next season.

This renewal is unfortunate. The ratings have been dropping since they started routinely abusing women on camera.
200 was the start of a long decent into the abyss of also ran shows. This is another of Erica Messer’s bright ideas. This woman has been a tragedy to this show.

I came in on season four of criminal minds. I have watched cast changes, the ups and downs every week and every episode since. I also realize that all good things come to an end however, it will be a sad day for all criminal minds watchers when you call it a wrap.

I have been a fan of criminal minds since the beginning. When the character of Jason Gideon was killed off I thought it was awful. Then JJ left for a while and came back, as did Emily. But I kept watching. Then Hotch was gone from the show. But Derek Morgan needs to come back. Not someone else in the part but Shemar Moore needs to come back it is not the same.

There have been a lot of changes to criminal minds since it first began. Agent Gideon got killed off, Emily and JJ both left and came back. Then Hotch was let go but worst of all Derek Morgan left. Shemar Moore needs to come back it is not the same. Furthermore 10 minutes for Shemar Moore in season 12 season finale you have to be kidding me. I was pretty disappointed had been looking forward to seeing him back what a let down.

Long time Criminal Minds fan, hate the “weird story lines”, lets get back to the original fantastic cast..make story lines more realistic, I am not planning on watching next season..the show sucks with out Thomas Gibson..it’s broke fix it..very sad fan

For people who are saying that the show is terrible without Hotch or Morgan. I think that BS!!! yes they were great characters but they are going with what would happen in real life and that is that circumstances change and with what has happened to them throught the show would make them take a step back and think about there family. I love the new cast and the show has gotten better because all the characters are getting a chance to grow and develope. I get that its not the same without them but it is still a great show, I have been addicted to the show since the first episode and I think that it is getting better and goin ginto more character developement. I love the show and i always will!

I love love love criminal minds. I have never missed an episode. I also feel the original cast are awesome. Jj, shemar, hoshner, Penelope, paget, reed and his mom, rossy are VERY NEEDED. Pay them well enough (which they deserve) to make them stay on board. Please don’t stop future seasons!!! Especially Penelope and JJ!!